Prior to the Great Recession in the early 2000s, officials at Tucson International (TUS) were making plans to expand their aging two-concourse terminal to accommodate growing traffic. But as the economy took its toll on the airline industry by way of consolidation, they realized that expansion was no longer necessary at the origination/destination airport.
The first axiom of real estate, 'location, location, location,' is the secret behind the fast start of the new business park at Smyrna/Rutherford County Airport (MQY) in central Tennessee. The second axiom, 'it's all about relationships,' helps explain how the airport landed its first $100 million investor.
A growing number of U.S. airports are replacing their fossil fuel-burning courtesy buses with electric vehicles, spurred by the promise of smaller carbon footprints and lower operating costs. FAA grants that subsidize emission-free technologies and a smoother, quieter ride for passengers also sweeten the deal.
As the gateway to world-famous ski slopes, big-name casinos and other popular tourist attractions, Reno International Airport (RNO) is under a lot of pressure to remain open 24/7 throughout the year, regardless of weather. Multiple departments band together to face the challenge head-on, but responsibility for clearing snow and ice off the runways falls on Airfield Maintenance Superintendent J. Scott Harkema and his staff.
Erie International (ERI) is used to sudden bouts of heavy snow, courtesy of nearby Lake Erie. It's not unusual for the Pennsylvania airport to get 20 or 30 inches at a time. But even ERI's seasoned personnel were challenged when a lake-effect storm lingered longer than usual and pounded the airport with more than 5 feet of snow'at Christmas, of all times.
Airfield maintenance crews at Portland International Jetport (PWM) in Maine had one less item on their to-do list last fall: They didn't have to order any aircraft deicing fluid for the upcoming winter. It was a bold change for the Atlantic coast airport, which receives an average of 62 inches of snow annually and is no stranger to blistery nor'easters.
Commercial airports that were originally built as military airfields are often a mixed bag to operate. Costly infrastructure elements such as runways and buildings are already in place, but they weren't designed to accommodate modern civilian traffic. Casper/Natrona County International Airport (CPR), in central Wyoming, is a prime example. Ever since the U.S. Army turned over its airfield along the North Platte River to Natrona County in 1949, CPR has used several World War II-era buildings to serve an evolving mix of commercial airlines, private aircraft operators and cargo carriers.
After decades of making periodic small changes, Tri-Cities Airport (PSC) in southeast Washington state 'ripped off the Band-Aid' and completed a $41.9 million renovation and expansion of its 1968 terminal.
'We couldn't just continue to do a little bit here and there,' says Airport Director Buck Taft, noting that no major improvements had been made since the 1980s. 'We didn't have enough gate space, concessions were in the wrong area because everything was obviously pre-9/11 design. Its useful life was over.?
McCarran International Airport (LAS) in Las Vegas offers customers and employees in need of immediate medical attention a welcome respite in Terminal 1. The Code 3 Urgent Care, located before the A/B security checkpoint, is the privately owned and operated facility with three patient rooms, an on-site X-ray machine and laboratory.
When you think of cities with large high-tech and engineering sectors, you probably think of San Jose, CA. Or Austin, TX. Or maybe even Huntsville, AL. But Melbourne, FL, is a powerhouse of its own, with key facilities for Northrop Grumman, Rockwell Collins, L3, General Dynamics, Thales, Embraer Executive Jets, and the world headquarters of Harris Corp.
When Devon Brubaker began his job as manager of Southwest Wyoming Regional Airport (RKS) in spring 2015, many residents of the southwest Wyoming community were not even aware the airport offered service to major connecting hubs. Since then, his team has worked with SkyWest Airlines to create more affordable flights, supported by more effective marketing; and Brubaker is proud of the results.
Building and opening a new airport is no easy task'that goes without saying. As it turns out, closing one may not be any easier. Just ask the folks in St. Clair, MO.
This winter, we hired a contractor to plow our driveway at home. I had shoveled the snow for years, and it was time to turn the job over to a professional.
